Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Hi All!
So I'm revamping my site. I want to keep it simple and fresh, maybe change the layout! If you have any ideas or comments let me know
So I'm gonna take a break from my "10 fav Skincare Products" and move on to makeup. I recently bought a macbookpro so I could actually start possibly working on tutorials and things like that but ofcourse I dont have anytime to.. and dont really know where to start!

I recently bought a ton of makeup brushes and probably have a collection of 60 ...Yeah 60 Makeup Brushes!!! I know its Psycho. Ive actually bought them over time and now have a bunch of amazing ones! I thought Id talk about the ones I like most.

Sunday, December 18, 2011

I just got the Mia a few weeks ago! I kept reading so many articles recommending a "power wash". So many product brands have come out with an electronic brush to wash your face with. The Mia is a smaller version of the Classic Clarisonic Brush, which is larger in size, and comes with 2 pulse timer thing. This one has one pulse. I love this thing because I can use it anywhere. It comes with a small charger and once you fully charge it, it lasts a while. So after using it a few weeks. Ive seen a huge diff in my skin, its like 33908239x smoother, i'm definitely breaking out less, and I dont have to constantly wash my face as much. It makes extractions come out alot easier. I also bought a the 'Deep Pore Brush" which u can replace on the handle.

You can get any of the 3, a normal one- which it comes with, I felt like for my skin, even though I used it like once or twice, I wasnt getting the result I wanted, so I use the Deep Pore, which contains 2 brushes and u can use em for about either like 1-3 months. Using it, I realized tho my skin tolerates ALOT, normal one def might be the way to go. And it has one for sensitive skin.

I just use my cleanser with it, ... but it comes with a small cleanser as well, and move it around my face. The cool thing about it, it has a self-timer, which is for a minute I believe, so your actually properly washing your face. Normally, I take my cleanser, soap.. at this point anything since I have like no time to do much, scrub my face and wash it off. Literally a 15 sec gig, which is really awful... This, not only does what a normal hand would do like 328892 faster and more efficiently, the timer allows you to make most of the cleanser. I love it cuz I just use it in the shower and it makes my life 203982938219381831298321 EASIER! I USE IT LIKE ONCE A DAY.
A good way to use it, esp in teh shower, because the heat of the water allows pores to open, use it, and then do a mask. I used tomato on my face afterwards, and I've tried Tea-Tree oil as well, incase the skin feels a bit irritated. So far its great! and the color is super pretty!! :D

OK!, so heres what I didnt like about it. It retails for like 120.00+Tax, average. It pulsates, and does NOT spin. Spinning circular action would I think be most beneficial in face cleansing. Circular motion also helps stimulate the skin helping it firm and so much other stuff. So I would totally recommend it, its a great investment. I know ProActiv
has come out with a similiar brush, DDF Also has a skin polisher, I
would totally recommend what ever you can afford. It makes life so much
easier, and skin soooooooo much cleaner!!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Ive been patiently waiting to get a Clarisonic Mia brush. Ive heard sooo many good things but their a bit pricey till now. Macys is having a sale on them and I believe their 50% off. Worse comes to worse, you get 20%- and some... and I cant wait to see for myself. These brushes help cleanse skin 3984938432x thurro-er than your hands and a cleanser, helps the face like brighter, cleaner and more amazing then EVER! ugh I cant wait!!!!!!!!!! Stay tuned folks! If anyones used it before please leave comments on what you think! its one of those you need to make an investment products!!!

Friday, October 14, 2011

How to keep your locks in tact! I've never had major hair issues.. no split ends, nothing.. till recently when my hair became disgustingly frail, thin and hideous. It became so dry and weak all of a sudden.. until I started taking Biotin, but that's not my only secret..

I don't blow dry, straighten or curl my hair (but once or 2x a month- or depends on the occasion) but all my tools are ceramic and ion based and I try to use some sort of serum or hair protectant when I do use anything and 99.9% I don't use hairspray or mousse either.. This way I have less to worry about for a long periods of time..

One of the best solutions is changing up your shampoo and conditioner every other day or so.. I don't have a specific schedule on what I use, what day.. but I use a clean- organic/vegan based shampoo, voluminous, and hydrating shampoo- YES 3 shampoos! I also switch up my conditioners, one for smoothing out hair, and one for volume.. or hydration- Right now I'm between two of them.

My hair keeps from flattening out and looking dull. Using any brand but with those basis, keeps my hair looking fresh daily- and yes, I wash it EVERYDAY! It doesn't really get frizzy and has loads of movement! Try it out!! you'll see a huge difference right away!

Friday, October 7, 2011

Here's my favorite Acne 3 Step! A few years ago, I was introduced to this line of products because of a crazy break out, dealing with horrendous cystic acne! I mean it was NARSTY! I had tried basically everything but Accutane and other 3 step acne fighting products that had vitamins, would make me break out insanely (claiming that the vitamins would bring the dirt/clogged pores stuff to the surface, so not only causing these volcanic pimples on my face but by the time the cleanser/treatment would bring them down, I started forming craters! Fail on all accounts :S I was gonna resort to Proactiv (which when using I would have blotches on my face and swelling for a day or two, and I found out later, I formed an allergic reaction to Benzoyl Peroxide!Proactiv also caused excessive dryness, but like I had no choice at that point) Until, a family friend told me to try it...I had nothing to lose at that point, but within a few weeks I noticed a huge difference in my skin, the best part was that the Salicylic Acid worked as an exfoliator getting rid of dead cells, helping generate newer skin and in doing so, marks on my face were totally fading. I didnt do to well with the vitamins, so when I replenished the products I just got the 3 step! It costs about the same as proActiv did, but made a huge difference! its totally worth it, great for ur skin long term, and UNLIKE proactiv your acne doesn't form once you stop using it. What I love most about Arbonne products are that they have several lines targeting specific products, and what I starting doing was, depending on what issues I was having, purchasing and mixing products to create the best treatment for me! Try it out!! Soooo worth it!! :D

So I bought this product a while back, I didn't give it much attention, and tossed it aside.. Until recently when my acne was flaring up and causing me stress! I thought I'd give it a try (like had nothing to lose).. and it totally worked! My acne "rapidly" calmed down! Its definitely something great to have on the go at an affordable price! Its Oil-free, contains Salicylic Acid, reduces breakouts and helps prevent new breakouts. The "soothing botanical extracts help reduce redness, swelling and dryness keeping the skin nice and soft!
Try it out! Available at any Drugstore or Grocery Store! Any questions or comments, leave below!
Tootles! xx

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

One of my favorite products is also by Ole Hendriksen, its the Truth Serum Collagen Booster
This product is absolutely amazing! Every ingredient in this product does wonders to keep your skin looking great, like sorting out wrinkles and fine lines Eww! Keeping skin looking radiant as possible, and keeping it nourished around the clock. So when I orginially tried this product, it came in a set of 3, inlcuding the night gel, this serum and moisterizer, Ive tried only 2 out of 3 products but its totes worth it!!
You can purchase it straight from the website http://www.olehenriksen.com/p-68-truth-serum-collagen-booster.aspx as well as Sephora.com!
If you have any questions prior to purchasing please feel free to ask! :)
xx
Ammara

Monday, August 15, 2011

Talk about Hiatus! I think Ive been gone for too long. Ive been too busy managing work, in the midst of Rahmadan its just hard to do anything :S.. so I left off mentioning my "Top 10 Favorite Skincare Products" and before I go off on a tangent I should mention one of my favorite products Ive been using .. Ole Henriksen Invigorating night gel LOVE THIS PRODUCT! A friend gave me hers (Thanks Naunie) and I definitely replenished it. Its better than a night cream! Anytime I feel like my skin looks dull and needs to be exfoliated, this Night Gel keeps it in tact! It goes on clear and for a 1.7 Oz it lasts a while. I use it every other day depending on how much time I have for a skin cleaning routine. It keeps your skin looking bright and hydrated. The formula is super light weight and easy to sleep with! Its something u can use daily or 2x a week depending on how ur skin handles it. Sephora carries the Ole Henriksen line of products so definitely check it out. You can always ask them to give you a sample to test out. DEFINITELY worth the buy! If you have any additional questions, drop me a message, comment or email :)

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Been quite busy and I just realize Ive been neglecting, well I don't want to say that.. Cuz I think about my blog all the time, but I was waiting on pics from a Fashion Show and Ive been a bit tied up with a gazillion things, so in the wait of my pics (and because I've been trying out a few products) and people ask me what product is good and so forth, I thought I'd do a TOP TEN of my FAVORITE SKINCARE PRODUCTS. Each Product has its own benefits and it doesnt mean its the Number 1 is better than number 10, its just random but per category they rank the highest amongst similiar products targeting same issue.. Stay Tuned!! :D

Friday, June 3, 2011

During the summer, especially if your always out and about contstantly doing your hair, or in the sun alot, hair becomes weak easily! And coincidentally ever since I have had that incident where my hair was shedding non-stop, it was getting weaker, drier, and HIDEOUS-ER!--
So, from the previous posts, my hair is slowly getting better. Minimal Shedding!!!! I mean MINIMAL!!! It's quite amazing how fast its repairing. I started using Dabur Amla Oil-- from the indian store, in my teens and I would throw it in right after I showered and my hair was still some what damp. It kept it curly on my off days (days I didn't do anything to it) which happened to be like every day but it was for the summertime. Dabur Amla adds great sheen to your hair and loads of nutrients and literally brings it back to health. It has a distinct smell so people who are sensitive can possibly get headaches from it. Im pretty used to it, but Ive noticed the newer bottles dont have a strong smell. Ive been using it for 2-3 days and its working its magic!

Heres how to use it: If you have it already, use an empty hair coloring bottle and empty the contents of the orginal bottle into that, because its easier to get into the scalp, its hardly messy, and easy to use.

(The original bottle has an wide opening so it tends to get messy and leak)

Dabur Amla's consistency is fairly thin, so to make it thicker, you can add Castor Oil, which is super thick and it gives it a proper consistency and takes away the smell!! Try it out!! it works wonderfully! :)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

About a month ago, I had like the biggest crisis of my life, -- My hair started falling out in chunks and I was about to die. Not even lying. Those of you who know me, know my hair is in good condition, its not super thick, but definitely not thin, even with a razor cut, the overall feel is still thick. All of a sudden, it started falling out in chunks and all through out the day. I couldnt seem to figure it out,
I dont think I have vitamin deficiency ESPECIALLY since for about 2 weeks I was eating more veg and drinking so much water that I couldnt even imagine lacking nutrients-- and MCD's was so not in my diet. My hair went from being uber hydrated, strong, and not frizzy to becoming super brittle, dry as like the desert and would break easily and it was constantly knotted and so frizzy, that no conditioner could break through it,
I was LITERALLY in panic mode.. BUT I had to nip this thing in the bud. So the first thing I did was change my shampoo and conditioner.

My mom normally gets the "bulk shampoo-conditioners" from Sams Club so I decided to the kind for chemically treated hair, since she colors her hair.. I thought why not-- generally these type of shampoos have more nutrients in them + to keep hair really shiny and healthy and hydrated b/c hair dyes dry out hair..
Gardiner Frutis came out with a new conditioner its in like a raspberry red bottle-- and it SUCKS. I mean it was like using White Rain on my hair-- no offense to people who use it, or non-brand from Dollar Store.. it was just awful. Got rid of that thing, and switched to Vatika Shampoo from the Indian Store, its a shampoo thats consisted of Olive Oil, sometimes other oils, depends on what you get, Henna Treatment, and something else-- cant remember right now.. and Sauve's comparison to Avedas Voluminous Shampoo-- a friend of mine with amazing hair told me she only uses Suave and she colors her hair consistently, and another one told me Aveda's shampoos are really good-- so I thought I'd try this..

I went for a hair cut after that, it had been about 11 months, since I got my last cut, and I thought that was the main reason it was falling out, but I was consistent in taking care of my hair-- I straightened it about 2x a month or curled it, I usually have a hair serum/heat protectant for my hair, I don't put any products in my hair and I oil it regularly with Amla Oil, sometimes mixed with Castor, or whatever I can find.

It was still doing the EXACT same thing! the one thing that was in great shape was literally falling apart, and I started looking bald too :S I wanted to shave it all off. I thought lets just try the vitamins, It had been a month since I stopped cuz I ran out, so..

Anywhos, I had to get my blood work done, thought it maybe Thyroid.. I was hoping atleast, because it would solve soooooooooooo many of my issues-- but FAIL. My blood work was EXTRA normal.. except my good ol cholesterol-- thats obviously my eating habits. But anyway that ruled out so many possible solutions.

I got back on taking ONE A DAY, really 2 a day Gummie MultiVitamins and then I came across this :
HUDABEAUTY reminded me about a vitamin supplement I used to take a few years ago, just to keep the hair/skin nails in tact, Read Here BIOTIN! I went and got that too! I went for my follow up which mentioned Vitamin D deficiency, -- I mean Im not a fan of tans, and B12, and a ton of other blood work I need to get now :( and LASTLY- Olive Oil.. I just put that in my hair 2 nights ago and its amazing right now!

BUT the reason I am writing this today.. b/c to some extent, all of these things have been working

Vatika Shampoo-Keeps my hair Shiny and nourished
Suave's Aveda version- Keeps it Voluminous and untangled
Gummie Vitamins are ALOT easier to take + Biotin is really good for alot of things
Blood work is always good to sort out any issues ur having that u might or might not know of.
Olive Oil- Helps hair re-growth and keeps it shiny and smooth!

BOTTOM LINE! My hair is NOT falling out anymore! and its getting healthy again! I woke up today and thought OMG what a big change! Have to blog it!! So thats my story! Ill keep u posted on my recovery--Im going to switch shampoo + conditioner soon b/c its running out so I will add results to that..

If you have any comments, tips or concerns please contact me!! or comment below! Hope it helps!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Hi! Sorry been a tad MIA lately. The following weekend after the Race was my friend's wedding! here's a pic of me from the wedding. I was actually waiting till this day so I could show u about 2 weeks worth of Full Recovery on the face with and without makeup but I didn't get a chance to take any, b/c I was running around like a lunatic taking pics of the event, etc. But all in all Twas lovely. Yesterday was the Deepak Perwani Show did the makeup for 6+ models with my friend Sonia. Will have pics up soon! Hope u all had a lovely weekend! :)

Monday, May 2, 2011

Today, I decided to make a little concoction, as if I'm like a chemist or something but little to my surprise, I created something that is a combo of a skin lightener, exfoliator, scrub in one. Apparently The Peroxide works as a lightener, I didn't realize the teeth whitening worked on the face. I googled "Hydrogen Peroxide for Acne" so it lightens as well as brings pimples down b/c it is an antiseptic. So here's what I did. I took about 1/4th Shot cup of Peroxide, diluted it with Water, 3/4th and put enough baking soda till it turned into a paste. After that I took one of those super big Cotton Balls, and dipped it in, applying it to my face in a circular motion. Now this works like one of those scrub pads for the face, and the cool thing about it is, u can apply it as soft or as rough as you want. If you have Sensitive Skin or Dry skin obviously don't go over board, BUT even after washing my face, I still got a good amount of dirt off. I went at it for a second round, dabbing over the areas that had issues, acne, discoloration, etc. for a bit. Keep on till it drys off and you can wash your face. Seems to work really well and its like a 3 in one. Plus its not messy at all. :)

I use Vitamin E oil usually afterward, and my skin the next morning is super glowy! The consistency is sort of thick but absorbs AMAZINGLY leaving like NO RESIDUE the next morning. "Love the skin you're in". ;)

Saturday, April 30, 2011

So, as I mentioned on Facebook earlier, I had some great products that help for Acne and Whiter Teeth!
so here's what I got for $1.09 (actually, I just looked at the receipt.)
Recently, I read a few articles on getting whiter teeth, quick and easy and I found a few products that really help and maintain healthy teeth. The first thing I bought today was Hydrogen Peroxide 3%. I don't think Ive ever seen anything more than 3 but according to this article Perfectly White Teeth says its safe to use 3 to 5% for your mouth. (I don't think as far as OTC is concerned, you cant get more than 3% anyway.)
For Hygiene, I read on a few websites that it is good to rinse your mouth with HP just to kill bacteria overall plus for a few mins longer, 2-10 minutes, it will help whiten teeth. I tried that today it made a huge difference. Overall my teeth looked brighter instantly. Only thing is -- and one thing you can do to test how much you can handle, pour some in the cap and dip you brush in the peroxide and brush your teeth.
Also, for proper teeth care, you should brush your teeth for like 2 minutes, but I don't know if that's possible so by rinsing your mouth with peroxide, its easier to brush for a shorter period.

if u are using whitening trays, strips or tooth paste, you can get maximum results! Test it out, try it or even dilute it if its too strong and your experiencing gum/tooth sensitivity etc. Remember, I'm not a dentist. ;)

The Peroxide cost 50 cents because there was a sale, 2 for 1. I just bought one and Generic Baking Soda cost 79 cents.

Okay, so my next product, Baking Soda. I had a bit of a breakout going on so I felt that I needed a good scrub to smooth out my skin and remove dead skin, so of course Baking Soda was exactly what I needed. A lot of Scrubs at Drug Stores and Dept Stores are fairly harsh but Baking Soda is pretty good when it comes to Acne, and what I did was, I had some Rice Water poured in a bottle when my mom was making rice, and I used a small glass, poured some of that water, and you can use regular of course, mixed with baking soda till it becomes a paste and put it on my face. (As for the shot glass, so my mom goes to a Hollywood, on her way back from a religious conference, and out of all the souvenirs on this earth, she pics up a shot glass LOL! - and for those who are reading and don't get it we don't drink at all and my mom's a fob. Thanks)

Now, again you want to test this out, do it on a small portion of your
face, I experienced a bit of tingling. So here's what I did. I spread it
all over my face, moistened my fingers with regular water, and spread
my fingers evenly and in a circular motion, massaged into my face for
about a minute or so, depending on how sensitive your skin is, you can
do it lightly or a bit rough. I went rough because I needed to feel like
it was doing something and I just realized the more rigorous you are
the more it feels like Microdermabrasion. Kind of like rubbing sand
paper on your face. Its pretty cool. Afterward use Aloe Vera Gel and
your good to go. My pimple went down drastically and some of my marks.
Do it at night because there's a good chance your face will get super
red! Good luck, if you need any advice or have concerns/questions hit me
up!

so Ive been on a hiatus, not really. Actually uber busy camera searching
and my friends wedding stuff. its been about 2 weeks since Ive gotten
my facial and instead of following up and helping my skin heal, due to
the Easter weekend, I decided to take a break from what is good and healthy
and went on a FAT FOOD binge. Any Fast food u can name I was eating, +
chugging soda. Talk about Relapse. I think this heat wave we just had got
the best of me. so yeah I'm sorta breaking out as well. Right in time
for her wedding, yay!. NOT. Instead of adding daily pics, figured Ill
have something up from her wedding- U know looking a tad decent hopefully. On another note, to make both blogs
more efficient I'm investing in a DSLR. :D Im looking at the Canon 20D
30D and T1i. Those fit my so-called budget. I mean well see how that
turns out. So hopefully by next week ill have some good pics. I figured
some events are coming up that I need a nice camera for so I might as
well just get one esp since I really need it for makeup/photo shoot
stuff. Or I could be rushing. eh. Anyway will have updates soon! Tune in
;)

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Well its Day 5 of my recovery, I took a picture with my BB, unfortunately the newest Curve doesn't have a built in flash, so much for an upgrade. I did do a Plain Yogurt Mask last night as well. Just to keep things moving along. My BB doesnt do anyone justice, and I always forget my other camera! so this will do. dont let it throw you off. Skin is getting better, If my eyebrows were done I'd look like a new person! heres the pic : Keeping this picture small. I don't wanna scare anyone with the hideousness that is going but as u can see, there's a vast improvement. Just gimme a few more days! Also, I am not wearing any cover up, I wouldn't be caught dead with wearing anything. Looking forward to sampling new products. I might be going from Mineral Powder foundation to Tinted Moisturizer and of course the Highlighter vs a Bronzer. Now those things are on complete opposites of the spectrum, so I am hoping that the Bronzer, though shown otherwise, is not at all in the same pigment as my Bronzer.
On another note, recently my hair has been falling out in chunks, (I know its totally like freaking me out) so first thing was the ol thyroid, seems like its an issue in the ol genetics, (not even sure if its a genetic disposition but my mom n sis are havin issues so could be) so I might need to get that checked out and or I'm lacking protein, I mean how can that be? I'm a chicken lover.. but who knows. So I got a hair cut, and it was not going great till the end result until the guy took a thick portion of my bangs, and just chopped it. HORRENDOUS. Time to grow it out for another year :( and yeah still falling out. I thought it was my conditioner at first, but it doesn't seem the case. It feels super light weight and thin. :S any suggestions!?!?

Friday, April 22, 2011

Since the Dark Dry Scaly Skin is mostly gone, I decided to do a yogurt mask to exfoliate the rest and expedite the peeling process. My skin was super sensitive, red, and hideous so I kept my skincare regimen simple. I washed my face regularly with a mild cleanser, kept up with SPF Moisturizer, and every night if not more, I would layer Aloe Vera Gel all over my face (you can find this at any vitamin shop or store) Last time I went to buy the Gel which is like 99.9% Aloe Vera, I couldn't find it so I found a 99% Aloe Vera Gelly Soothing Moisturizer by Lily of the desert- it works fairly well, it costs about 7.00 USD [ Yogurt Mask ]
Lactic acid found in Yogurt and Milk helps exfoliate skin, removing dead skin, and revealing smooth radiant skin! Normally, I would add a few drops of lemon and other ingredients, Ive added oatmeal - Blended into a powder and mixed in with yogurt, and a few other things, cant remember at the moment. But my skins still recovering from the peel and I don't want to make it worse. Post Recovery Day 3

[ Here's what I did] I took a Table Spoon of Yogurt, in a bowl and applied a generous amount all over. I added more to it once I covered my entire face. No Point of wasting it, (I forgot to apply it on my neck, always do that), the rest I massaged into my hand for a minute or so and washed off. I gotta shower soon so Ill just take it off in there #laziness.

Here's what I looked like Post Recovery Day 2

My mom sorta freaked out and prevented me from going to Jumah today. I added Aloe Vera last night so all that dark stuff has peeled off. Scary huh. If my younger brother saw me today he would rave about how I look like the Joker, Yes, he has called me that on occasion. And he gets what's coming to him ;)

I cant wait to reveal the new skin, It will take a week or so, in time for my friends Bridal Shower :) Thank God, and for her wedding, Ill be good to go!
Its cold in MD today, why wont this crazy weather sort it's self out!! :S

Thursday, April 21, 2011

It is 3 am I and I just realized I was suppose to write a blog on most effective ways to use Google for Skincare. I don't have time to do it now because I have to get up in the am and take some family friends to the airport. Sorta excited but not so much cuz I'm KNACKERED all the time. - That means super exhausted, aka my life story. Love airports, the energy and excitement of going somewhere...but NOT going anywhere, not too much.
Anyway perhaps at some point tomm I will do the entry! Ive noticed the number of views going up daily! :) Thanks for taking your time out to read this, and as I have been emphasizing I would love anyone and everyone's opinions on what I should talk about, Opinions on making this better? What you like don't like whatever u wanna say, GO FOR IT!
Oh, Stay tuned for Glowing Skin's best kept SECRET. Actually not a secret really anymore but I am dying to check this product out.. A bit skeptical from the videos Ive seen but who knows! Might just be amazing!! But Im gonna compare this $40.00 product to one I bought in about 2007 for $4.00.. Now ill add a little hint, comparing a highlighter to a bronzer and from the videos the pigment looks identical but you can be the judge of that ! Keeping my fingers crossed so I dont have to return it !

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Its been so long since I've gotten one of Rosie's Micro Derm Treatments @ Nova Surgicare
The Facial includes a cleansing of the skin, Micro Derm and a series of peels. Sometimes there are extractions and Auricular Therapy for pain management + skin treatments (acupuncture through the ear). It takes about 3 hours but this one was quite quick. I am glad I have the proper skincare. Right now I look kinda "Scary Carrie" as I like to call it, and in the next few days my skin will tighten and eventually start peeling. The chemical peel was quite strong so will see how hideous I look based on people's shocked/disgusted facial expressions LOL.

I can tell you that the series of these treatments have improved my skin tremendously. My skin overall started showing vast improvement when I started using ARBONNE PRODUCTS in 2009. I started with the Acne Line, I used for about 3-4 Months. Overall improvement in even skin tone, discoloration and marks. You should have seen what a nightmare it was in 2008. I switched to different products, including a Pore Cleansing Mask I used through out the year - which has been discontinued but it was LITERALLY my FAV product.

I decided to participate in an Acne Study and had to discontinue any Acne fighting Products with specific ingredients like Salysilic Acid, Benzoyl Peroxide, Sulfur, just to name a few. During that time period I altered eating habits to a Vegan Diet. Felt like death but I think it helped overall. Towards the end of the year, I used basic face wash, I believe Sheisido's Cream Foam Cleanser, not sure Its the beige bottle comes out creamy soapy, and altering the Pore Cleanser, and The Sea Mud Mask (Which I still use almost reqularly, every other day if not every day) Both Arbonne Products. Now the Makeup I use is Arbonne's Mineral Powder Foundation and Cream Conclear- whcih is my absolute fav and gives me that Kimmy K Concealor look.

In 2010, I broke out after a few weeks pretty bad, that's when I started the treatments, I would have them done every 2-3 weeks, and I believe I had 6 done between March and September. My skin looked amazing.
Now I use products from Visual Changes to keep the skin fresh and controlled from any break outs. The Skincare works perfectly with derm treatments because it works with really sensative skin during skin cell turn over and helps get read of dead skin without using irritating facial scrubs.

Right now however, because the skin is still in the process of healing and peeling I will go wash my face with an Enzyme Cleanser, and Take Aloe Vera Gel to let the fresh skin fully heal, revealing AMAZING skin in about 1-2 weeks, until then Im going into hiding :S J/K.

Tomorrow's Post I will cover a few things you can do to maintain good skin and 3 important key words to google, that will help you find remedies /products effectively! :)

Monday, April 18, 2011

After 3 weeks with no breakouts, even during the monthly visitor, prior to, and post I finally got a pimple and a few white heads and some red ones looking like they were about to form! I didn't freak out though, my diet has been a bit odd lately, plus Ive had loads of stress with random things, (oh! Ofcourse it has NOTHING to do with any sort of life long decision in case anyone's wondering) Its more like 2 stolen CC, 2 lost, all found alH. well not the stolen ones, but sorted out needless to say, and a fender bender with a psycho Chinese man who's car wasn't scratched at all but still felt like he had to claim whatever. Rocking a burberry tie, he was still trying to loot me since he didn't speak a word of English. So angry!! ERGHHH)

Anyway back to the skin, Since I try to avoid soda - and or if I do have a glass I still try to incorporate 8 glasses of water to flush out whatever I did drink, my sweet intake has increased to the lack of I don't know what?! I generally don't pig out on sweets, hardly on occasion, maybe here and there but not a lot. Its just one of those days, if anything the sodium intake is out of control. But anywhozulbees I wanted to do a cucumber mask just to give the skin a bit of a boost, but then I noticed all that other jazz.

I'm gonna go in for a facial anyway its been a month since I've had anything done but I got really excited, and took 1/8th of a cucumber (all I could find) mixed it with a little bit of squeezed lemon juice and sprinkled with turmeric. Yes it did look like a Vegg Salan on my face( those of you who don't know what Salan means, its sort of like a curry /curry dish) It gets a tad messy when you grate the cucumber b/c its like shredded soggy cheese but I had a towel on. The pimple instantly went down. After washing my face, a little yellow did come off from the turmeric, not stained though. I took the remaining juice from the concoction and used a cotton ball and squeezed it all over my face. That I will keep on probably the rest of the evening.

I should have taken a pic but I got too excited I even forgot to wash my face! :/// I used lemon and turmeric to give the skin tone a bit of a boost. I'm pretty fair around the cheek area, my chin has healed a lot since my last crucial break out period, which I reckon was in 2008 + Braces = FAIL. But my forehead area is like a shade of someone Else's skin complexion so I decided to do this to even the tone out a bit and bring the redness down + all the other stuff that was going on!

Trial and Error Conclusion:
Any sort of mask on the skin, make sure you wash your face first. It will allow you to reap the maximum benefits from your skin treatment. Try each product on separately. Each has its own benefits and see what your skin can handle first before mixing and adding all over face. Lemon is high in acidity so it will react differently to different skin types. I feel my skin can handle anything now. Even when I get my facials + chemical peels, I do look like the girl from the exorcist 2 days post treatment, and turns into Freddie Kruger but my skin heals in no time. Good products = Full and Fast Recovery! Keep that in mind.

Using good products for the skin allow it to stay in good condition but that goes for your make up too. Why spend $$$ on Facials or Skin Products and use makeup that wont help in the treatment of skin or has to make you cover everything up including damage from the makeup?! Not worth it.

I didn't have a single scar/pimple discoloration/ or ANYTHING till I was about 23. Down hill from there. But irrespective of that, I still manage to do what I can so that my skin treatments + makeup + and skincare work together so that my skin doesn't have to ! :)

Any Questions or Comments Pls share!!
Check me out on Http://vivonslamode.blogspot.com

Majority of my entries have been on SKIN lately. In order to have a smooth canvas for makeup application, smooth healthy skin is vital! And obviously, I am uber conscious of my skin and hardly put makeup on it cuz I get so paranoid I might clog a pore and or break out!!! But lately, with the products I'm using makeup and skin I haven't had that much of an issue, especially because I'm drinking loads of agua, when you have to wear makeup all the time, and have a busy schedule the best thing to do is drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. In one week you will notice a striking difference. Its the best/quickest most convenient skin fix solution ever! and quite affordable, so take advantage of it :D

For my next bit, per title- last summer in August, I thought Id try a cucumber mask on my face rather than just my eyes, my skin felt so refreshed it was amazing! This was the quickest fix to hydrate the skin, I came come, had to get ready to go to an event, It was easy to make, and took a few minutes to keep on the skin. I got the idea from the concept that cucumbers bring down the bags, cool eye area, bring down any sort of swelling, probably a bit of redness etc. So what I did was, I took a 1/4 of a cucumber, probably less than that..used a Cheese Grater, - mum uses it for carrots for halva- (keepin it real).. grated the cucumber, and threw it on my face LITERALLY. If your gonna lay down and do this, like I did.. then use a towel b/c it gets real messy.. but it feels SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOODD!!! - If you Google cucumber masks, you'll find an array of masks with multi-ingredients, if your in a hurry and need a boost of hydration and all the other benefits that are provided from this mask you can do it with a cucumber alone!

Recently, when I was on my hunt for natural skincare masks and remedies I came across this, for cucumber masks- and yes they actually do use em on the face, a tad late on my own idea :/ Cucumbers, have antiseptic ingredients that heal the skin. This mask will help tighten pores, reduce inflammation and control oil and shine. Perfect for the summer time weather! Enjoy!
Please follow/subscribe to the blog and any comments or questions are most welcomed! Love to know if you have tried it!

Friday, April 15, 2011

I will be participating in the RACE FOR HOPE 2011 in efforts to raise awareness and funds for the National Brain Tumor Society!My family friend Saira Malik, her husband Zahid Malik died of this disease in 2008. He joined the race in hopes to raise funds for 2 years. We want to encourage research to find cures for such causes. Thank you for the support! Please click the link below to donate!

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Lately, Ive been Googling any natural foods/remedies that are good for skin. Just to get an idea of what foods I should constantly snack on, so in combination with drinking loads of water, which apparently I've mentioned 3-4 times since I've started blogging, ONLY BECAUSE it has made a TREMENDOUS difference in my skin super fast. But I definitely have been snacking on Broccoli, Carrots, sometimes Asparagus(nasty) Cherry Tomatoes- Love, Black berries, Blue Berries and Strawberries, Almonds, Walnuts too. Not all the time or a even in a special routine.

C'mon, Im pretty lazy when it comes to that, mostly because when I think too much about it, I get so anxious about it that I don't even go through with it. Just to calm the anxiety, Ill be at McDs right away chugging soda down + Everything on their menu. So, don't think about it. Just have the stuff and you'll end up eating it out of convenience.

I was looking for a natural exfoliator, because exfoliating is super important aspect in a skincare regimen or routine. Exfoliating allows you to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores and bring out new radiant skin. When I was younger I was big on St.Ives Scrub but later on I found out in the long run it can cause you to have more wrinkles + its way too harsh for the skin. Certain acid fruits/veg in this case, I'm not sure what a 'lemon' is considered and I've heard 'tomato' goes both ways, so I'm gonna try a little something by mixing a little bit of lemon juice with tomato pulp and let it sit on my skin for 15-20 mins for about 1 week or 2 and ill tell you how it goes, Im gonna check now to see if I even have any lemons left. I found different articles about it but yesterday I came across Huda's Blog which talked about Tomato for skin. I know we have tomatoes or if we run out we'll immediately stock up because it goes in everything my mom makes aka Salan. So, anyway yeah. I'm gonna try that out-
WHY those 2 specifically???? A Tomato has a natural healing agent for acne scars and the acids help remove dead cells. Lemon b/c for a few months I was out of proper skincare and I was using odds and ends till I got more + lacking on the Microderm+ invasive peels which caused a little regressing in the ole skin routine which ultimately caused some uneven skin-tone in the chin area as well as discoloration which is why I am using lemon, as a natural bleaching/brightener
Both Items are highly acidic so you have to be careful. Ive tried so much on my skin I'm sure I'll be OK, but who knows. I tend to leave most products on overnight like masks and stuff but well see how this goes, otherwise what I might do is, Tomato overnight and lemon every other day 15 mins or so! Ill tell you all how it goes.

Please Follow or Subscribe and any questions or comments are most welcome!Ammara

Monday, April 11, 2011

Whatchu know about this?! Ha erm, just kidding. I have this bad boy at home. IT IS THE BEST TASTING WATER EVER, that is if water can ever taste good. So much better then bottled water, if anything I reuse the old bottles and add this stuff in it and drink it all day long. <--- Why my skin has been glowing lately. :)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Twas an emotional weekend for me. It usually is at majority of these conference type events held at the mosque. It brings you back to the basics. What's really important in life. I read this quote that related to Beauty from one of my most admirable muses. “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for
beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with
the knowledge that you are never alone.”- Audrey Hepburn
I still get shocked that shes passed on. I saw a few of her documentaries and it brings me to tears just thinking about what an amazing person she was, I mean there's not that many people like her, Mother Teresa types, but she was one of a kind.

Ive been guzzling so much water, and over the weekend it turned into a FAIL. Lacking on so much sleep, prob dehydrated as well. Not to mention Ive been wearing makeup all weekend, Which in these 3 days was worn more then I have in the past few months. I had a Skin Analysis done on Saturday at the Health Fair, after having a "Bone Density" test done and OBVIOUSLY I'm positive for Osteoporosis, shocked? No. my bones are constantly aching and I think everyone thought I was exaggerating. I got my T and Z score back, brought me back to undergrad days in PSYCHO-logy.

Anyway thought i'd share that bit of news, but on a good note- My ol Skin Care Regimen was working fantastically. except she wrote "drink more water" I was like!? Really!. Ha. but asides from dry but not exactly chapped lips, I had good skin :) <--- her words, not mine. Not as good as back in the day, but the acne seems to be more controlled then ever.. so thats always good. Yeah, taking a break from health right now. Eating KFC and Pepsi. My body was craving it. sorry. Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Follow my blog with bloglovin
For the past week or so, Ive been guzzling about 4 water bottles a day. 64 oz. (8 glasses, as they say). A friend of mine told me you're suppose to drink 1/2 of your body weight (Now everyone knows how much I weigh :S)Which coincidentally I have. Another friend, a while back told me that you don't have to drink 8 glasses because IF YOU EAT HEALTHY (Fruits, Veg) are made up of water so it compensates for drinking a whole glass or somewhere in the amount of water you're suppose to drink a day. Anyway Ive been munching on vegg and fruits more than ever, not sure why either but I guess its helping. Even on the monthly visitor I have not broken out. So whats my Skincare Regimen?

Right now, with MicroDerm Treatments I have to use products for Post-Treatment
But Asides from that I generally put on Salicylic Gel most nights to prevent whiteheads and Acne if I get lazy on properly washing my face. I got Aloe Vera Gel from Vitamin Store, I put that on afterward, and lately, most nights I look like the Swamp Thing b/c I have Arbonne Sea Mud Mask that I've been wearing to bed. It's suppose to squeeze out all impurities by sucking out everything from the pores, bringing to to surface and eventually going away, Now I dont break out at all, I am not sure if its because Ive had it for a while (but I still feel the tingling, so it has to be working) or b/c my skins getting better. Along with Vegg I always have strawberries, blueberries and my fav, BLACKBERRIES! But so far not bad.

Important vitamins to look for in Foods in general, Omega3, Essential Vitamins A C E B K and Zinc for healing. I found a really good article and I cant seem to locate it now but once I do, Ill put it up, on what fruits and veg contribute to healthy skin. One thing to mention is SPF Saves you from a load of issues, SO WEAR IT!
Any Skin/Beauty Questions let me know and I will do my best to answer them!
Ammara

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The ever-so lovely Andy T, one of my favorite bloggers Style Scrapbook actually the first blog I came across when I started pro-actively pursuing fashion, needed some tips on recreating a look from her Mango Shoot...
tags Http://www.stylescrapbook.com

Its been about 2 years since Ive written here b/c I was busy with School (Fashion School :D) looking for a job and sorting out my finances, but thats another story.. so here goes!
Hope it helps!Face: After washing your face, use a moisturizer that's best suited for your skin, if your makeup doesn't have SPF, I definitely recommend getting a moisturizer with SPF.
Use a good Face Primer- I use Face Primer by Arbonne International its super amazing. Dot it on the forehead nose and cheeks, and chin and spread it outwards.. covering the entire face...
Depending on what type of foundation/powder you use, dot it again, in the same areas and use a sponge or a brush to spread out evenly getting around the lip area, around the nose, and any other crevice in the face.

EYES: My favorite part! - Starting at the eyebrow, using your concealer/ and a concealer brush, work the brush along the eyebrow line (Its like tracing your eyebrow) : Starting from the outer corner, going in...

Once you do that, you can start by blending the concealer downwards to the eyelid.

Afterwards... take a little more of concealer and cover the lids all the way to the lash line, and blend evenly...
If you dont need to fill in your eyebrows, you dont have to but having an olivey/brown matte eyeshadow and a good fine brush will do the trick...

Taking a Tapered Blending Brush and start blending the crease area, smoothing out anything btwn the upper eyebrow and lid.. Starting outwards and then in..

you can also go over the eyebrow to blend everything out evenly..
* The concealer also works as a shadow primer, to set a good smooth foundation for the eyeshadow to look better and last longer..
If you are a beginner and want to get a real defined look, take some scotch tape to the corner of eyes

using Urban Decay Stray Dog, or a color similiar to it, its a charcoalish Taupe color, cover your lid starting at 2/4 of ur eyelid up to 3/4s leaving the corner free... pile on the eyeshadow to get the intensity you want..

blend the shadow all over lid, so it looks nice and even, blending it to the lash line.. taking your blending brush, you can blend all the way up to your crease area out to in, lift your eyebrow with your finger to identify the crease area.

to make the eyes more define, you can pile more on the corner 4/4s of the eye, where the applicator is in a side V like this

Inner corner color you can use Shroom by MAC or anything light and shimmery with a thinner brush to pack it in the corner lid to lash line in a boomerang shape.

Take your eyeliner, a dark black would work really well.. The inner lash line is located parallel to the waterline keep going back and forth till you get the intensity you want, youll start seeing the smokey illusion right away. P.S** this is a good trick to make your lashes appear dark and full. If you've never done this, start in the middle working back and forth from out to in or vise versa..
Afterwards, take the eye, with your finger slightly stretch the eye out, holding from the outer corner towards lash line. Apply liner towards lash line going in, and use a smudger, comes with a bottom of an eyeliner usually or a fine brush and smudge the liner so it gives the lid a smoker appearance. Take a thin brush and add some eyeshadow towards the lash line and blend it outwards.. once everything looks blended and even. Take mascara and add to bottom lash line. Once ur all set, you can remove tape!
Using blending blush, blend out any definitive lines left by the tape.. and your all set.

Take the concealer brush and start adding concealer underneath the eyes covering up to the bridge of the Cheek bones. Just like in the pic. You want to use a color lighter than your skin. Taking my favorite beauty product, BEAUTY BLENDER, you can find in one of the previous blogs, and now Ulta.Com has one too for only 4.99 or 5.99! Blend it into your skin. Once everything looks even, Take a coral color and blend it in from the apples of your cheeks towards the temples. Blend it out evenly and add some lip gloss to your lips you're all set!!! Enjoy!

Sorry for the short notice and random pics, I had to do this for Andy but if I end up/which I am planning to- attend Makeup By Mario's Seminar in NY this year (Last year I attended NY's Makeup Show-AMAZING) I will post a proper tutorial up!! Thanks <3
Ammara